(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices and to methods of controlling the same, and particularly relates to a display device using a current-driven luminescence element and to a method of controlling the same.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Image display devices using organic electroluminescence (EL) elements are well-known as image display devices using current-driven luminescence elements. An organic EL display device using such organic EL elements does not require backlights which are needed in a liquid crystal display device, and is thus best-suited for increasing device thinness.
In an organic EL display device using organic EL elements, the organic EL elements included in pixels are arranged in a matrix, and each of the organic EL elements can be caused to produce luminescence by controlling a drive element which supplies current to the organic EL element.
Specifically, a switching thin film transistor (TFT) is provided in each crosspoint between scanning lines and data lines, the switching TFT is connected to a capacitor, the switching TFT is turned ON through a selected scanning line so as to input a data voltage corresponding to a luminescence production luminance, from a signal line to the capacitor. Furthermore, the capacitor is connected to a gate electrode of the drive element. In other words, the data voltage is applied to the gate electrode of the drive element.
With this configuration, the drive element supplies current to the organic EL element even in a period in which the switching TFT is not selected. A display device in which the organic EL element is driven by such a driving element is called an active-matrix organic EL display device.